Assamese recipe :Pumpkin Tender Stems with Mustard

A rustic Assamese dish made with tender pumpkin stems and potatoes simmered in a mellow mustard gravy. Rooted in tradition, it’s a celebration of simplicity, seasonal cooking, and the magic of using every edible part of the plant. 

It was one of those days when the fridge had very little to offer. No tomatoes, no greens, not even an egg in sight. But outside, just a few steps from the back door, the little patch of garden we’ve nurtured over the years was wild with life.

Pumpkin vines had taken over a corner, curling and climbing with abandon. Next to them, gourd plants jostled for space. The air smelled of damp earth and new leaves. That’s when my grandmother said something that stayed with me forever: “If you have a kitchen garden, you’ll never go hungry.”

She stepped out to pick a few pumpkin tender stems and prepared them in my favourite mustard sauce. That was a lunch to remember. 

In Assam, this kind of everyday abundance is a quiet blessing. Our forests, gardens, and paddy fields overflow with biodiversity. And from generation to generation, we’ve inherited a deep-rooted instinct: waste nothing. We cook not just fruits and vegetables, but the shoots, peels, leaves, flowers, and in today’s case, tender pumpkin stems.

In Assamese kitchens, there’s nothing odd about making a dish out of things many would throw away. We cook banana pseudostems, bamboo shoots, and even bottle gourd peels. So when the fridge was empty, it wasn’t a crisis—it was just a cue to step outside.

Preparation time: 15-20 minutes
Cooking time:12-15 minutes
Serves:2-3

Ingredients:

• Pumpkin tender stems (cleaned, fibers removed, and cut into 2-inch pieces) 1 and 1/2 cups
• Potato (thinly sliced) 1 medium
• Onion (finely sliced) 1
• Mustard seeds (half yellow, half black if available) 1 tbsp
• Green chilies (split) 1-2
• Garlic 2 – 3 cloves
• Turmeric powder ½ tsp
• Salt to taste
• Panch phoron (Bengali five-spice mix) ½ tsp
• Mustard oil (plus a few drops raw at the end) 2 tbsp
• Water as needed

Method:

1. Soak mustard seeds in warm water for 15–20 minutes.
2. Drain and grind with garlic into a smooth paste. Add a couple of spoonfuls of water if needed.
3. Heat mustard oil in a kadhai or deep pan until it just begins to smoke. Lower the heat, add panch phoron and split green chilies, then sliced onions.
4. Sauté until the onions are golden and aromatic. Mix in the mustard paste, turmeric, and a bit of water (about ¼ cup).
5. Let it cook on low heat until the oil separates from the paste. That’s when the mustard is mellowed and ready.
6. Now add the tender pumpkin stems and sliced potatoes. Stir well to coat everything in the masala.
7. Add a splash of water, cover the pan, and let it cook for 10–12 minutes on low heat. Stir occasionally. The potatoes should be soft, and the stems tender but still holding shape.
8. Adjust salt, and if you like that kick of flavor, finish with a few drops of raw mustard oil.